An alien invasion is threatening the LEGO universe, leaving a wake of destruction in its path. It’s up to Emmet and the rest of the heroes of The LEGO Movie franchise to travel across worlds and save the day. Take a trip back to Bricksburg and beyond with The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game Details
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Reviewed on:Â PlayStation 4
Developer:Â TT Fusion
Publisher:Â Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Genre:Â Action-adventure, sandbox
Modes:Â Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating:Â E 10+ (Everyone 10+)
A host of heroes
With the entire universe in peril, it’s up to an all star team of playable characters to travel from planet to planet and quell the chaos. In The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game you’ll have the opportunity to play as over 100 characters from both films.
Of course Emmet and Lucy, the primary protagonists of both LEGO movies are here. So is fan-favourite character LEGO Batman. There are even a few new editions in the form of sequel newcomers General Mayhem and the mysterious Rex Dangervest.
Unfortunately, don’t expect the voice cast in The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game to match those from the big screen. You won’t be hearing Will Arnett’s brooding Bruce Wayne or Hollywood hotshot Chris Pratt in his main roles. Their replacements do a commendable job stepping into their shoes, but at least a small amount of magic is lost.
The universe is a big place
The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game takes players to a variety of colourful and unique worlds. There’s the post-apocalypse version of Bricksburg, a bustling version of the “Old West”, and a vibrant alien planet full of intriguing native flora and fauna just to name a few. You’ll visit new worlds that take inspiration from iconic locations in both LEGO Movie films.
As is par for the course in any LEGO video game, each location is brimming with secrets to explore and collectables to amass. Along the way you’ll also collect building plans that you can use to populate a hub world with buildings and landmarks. The game actually leans fairly heavily into the crafting and building mechanic, as it is built on the same engine as the LEGO Worlds building game rather than that of the previous LEGO Movie game.
A fistful of capsules
Most of the collectibles in The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game are obtained from capsules that are gathered throughout the game. Each world scatters treasure chests across its landscape with capsules inside for players to discover. They can also drop from enemies or other destructible objects.
The capsules add some fun to collecting—they contain new plans, figures, items, and more. They can be opened by the shopkeeper located on the main hub world. You’ll actually assist the shopkeeper by rebuilding his store early on in the game.
While I enjoy the random element of opening capsules for new items, the downside is that it can take a long time to get through them all. After simply completing a level I often have as many as 15-20 capsules stored up, and they each take a few moments to crack open and register their contents. If you let them pile up too long, it can feel like a chore to ultimately open them all one at a time.
Intended for younger audiences
I would recommend The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game in particular for younger kids, and for parents looking for a co-op experience to share with their children. This is true on some level for most LEGO video games, but The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game skews particularly toward the young. I would speculate that the game is tuned to allow for nearly any skill level of player to accomplish without much assistance from parents or older siblings.
A standard of the LEGO series of games are environmental puzzles that players must solve. However, the puzzles in The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game are extremely simple, even in comparison to other kid-friendly LEGO games. For the average player aging into the double-digits, there is almost no skill or mystery to completing most of the games challenges.
You’re tearing me apart Lisa
The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game has more than its fair share of technical issues as well. In particular I have to note the presence of screen tearing in the game. Sadly, it’s some of the worst I have ever seen.
Many games suffer from screen tearing. Sometimes it’s sparse—here or there during particularly taxing moments. Other times it persists, but I’ve never experienced a game with such persistent screen tearing as The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game. Nearly every time the camera moves the issue manifests itself.
Luckily, since the primary audience is on the younger side, the game may be able to get away with a bit more. I imagine younger gamers tend to pay less attention or show as much concern for a problem like screen tearing—although I don’t want to take for granted the technical intelligence of kids today either! Needless to say, the persistent screen tearing will certainly be an eyesore across the game for anyone who can’t help but be painfully aware of it.
This isn’t the only bug I noticed however. I also had issues with mission objectives not spawning properly, as well as shoddy camera issues in general. Frankly The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game feels a bit rushed. It definitely does not have the same level of polish as the typical game in the LEGO franchise.
The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game is a simple, unpolished game geared towards the very young
I love running around open worlds gathering secrets and collectibles, so I did find some enjoyment in The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game. Nevertheless, the egregious screen tearing present throughout the campaign really diminishes its quality overall. Further glitches suggest that this game just wasn’t polished to the level of other games in the LEGO franchise.
There’s little to no challenge in any puzzle or obstacle in the game. Most players should be able to traverse the game on cruise control. That said, it works best as a fun adventure to share with younger gamers.
+ Fun for younger players
+ Diverse worlds full of secret and collectibles
+ Over 100 playable figures
– Enormous screen tearing issues
– Bugs and camera problems
– Lacks much challenge
OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE LEGO MOVIE 2 VIDEO GAME
Gameplay:Â 3.5/5
Graphics:Â 2.5/5
Sound:Â 4/5
Lasting Appeal/Replayability:Â 3.5/5
Overall Rating 3.4/5 (68%)
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I love the old references in this like those 70s space figures. This game looks like it will appeal to that gaming crowd that loves the LEGO games/movies. I’m sad to hear that it feels rushed, but with the number of LEGO games that have come out in recent years I would guess that they don’t have a lot of time to work on a game before it needs to ship.
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